SHÖN, Kagbeni (Cave at)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A man-made rock chamber (most likely excavated from conglomerate) is used as a Tibetan Buddhist meditation retreat situated in a cliff above the fields called Shön on the outskirts of Kagbeni. CULTURAL HISTORY: The cult-spot is included in the -klungs-skor-, a clock-wise circumbulation of Kagbeni (note 1): The procession starts at the northern entrance of the village, the former gate that closed the extented cluster of rammed earth houses at the end of the 18th century. Facing north, an image of the protective grandfather, the meme, is moulded in clay against the wall in half-relief … The path leads north along an extended wall of mani-stones (inscribed with the auspicious formula om mani padme hum) and stops first at a multistoried and stepped square structure, a chörten … The halting point marks the edge of the present settlement just beyond the former archery ground that has been built up over the past two generations. Some 50 metres north, the procession stops again at another chöten called Jin Chödro, which is placed in the middle of the road to protect the village against unnamed demons who threaten the village from the northern direction… At Jin Chödro the path makes a sharp turn to lead along a wall that encircles the fields called Shön. Below a meditation retreat, a cave in the cliffs, the procession stops to pay respect to that sacred place. The easternmost tip of the cultivated area, which is named Tharkog, is marked by a stone boulder, which does not represent a particular divinity … (GUTSCHOW 1999 on colorado.edu/Conferences/pilgrimage/papers99/Gutsc… accessed 2004.11.01).ten called Jin Chödro, which is placed in the middle of the road to protect the village against unnamed demons who threaten the village from the northern direction… At Jin Chödro the path makes a sharp turn to lead along a wall that encircles the fields called Shön. Below a meditation retreat, a cave in the cliffs, the procession stops to pay respect to that sacred place. The easternmost tip of the cultivated area, which is named Tharkog, is marked by a stone boulder, which does not represent a particular divinity … (GUTSCHOW 1999 on colorado.edu/Conferences/pilgrimage/papers99/Gutsc… accessed 2004.11.01).